Lightning's Stephanie Wood is ready for NZ tests

NETBALL: Sunshine Coast Lightning attacking force Stephanie Wood is determined to put her "best foot forward” with the Diamonds during the Constellation Cup in a bid to spark a more fruitful international career.

Wood is likely to hit the court with the Diamonds as they take on New Zealand Silver Ferns for the opening match of the Constellation Cup tonight.

Australia will go into the match on the back of a disappointing loss to the squad during the Netball Quad Series decider recently.

Wood wasn't part of the Quad Series campaign, and with only two test caps to her name, is hopeful of a good showing during the four test series against NZ.

"It's a really special thing and something that I've always wanted to do,” she said.

"I've only had those two tests but it's kind of an emotional thing when you put on the Aussie dress and I'm just really excited to play whatever role they need me to play.”

She was comforted by the fact Lightning team-mate Caitlin Bassett is part of the squad and looked to the Constellation Cup as a vital opportunity to build on her experience in the higher forms of the game.

"Experience does count for some stuff but the only way you can get experience is actually by getting out on to that court,” she said.

"Everyone starts somewhere and I guess I'm hopefully at the start of my international career.”

While a spot in the Diamonds' team at the Commonwealth Games was a "dream” Wood said she was taking it one game at a time.

"It is a personal goal for me but it's not at the forefront of my mind in this series,” she said.

"This is a four-test series that we want to win and I aim to put everything out there just for this series and then whatever happens afterwards happens afterwards.”

She said there was a "really good vibe” in the Diamonds camp at the moment but the side was not "over-confident”.

"I think there's a fine line between confidence and complacency,” she said.

"We're definitely confident in our ability, it's just making sure that we go out there and, everything we've talked about, actually put it into the game knowing that the Kiwis are going to throw absolutely everything at us.”

The 25-year-old shooter said a "massive focus” for the team after reflecting on the Quad Series loss was strengthening possession rates.

"I think a big thing is purely keeping possession of the ball,” she said.

"We were probably guilty of throwing a few balls away previously so keeping the ball in hand has been a big focus for us.”

The Diamonds will take on the Silver Ferns in the first test of the Constellation Cup tonight at Spark Arena in Auckland. They will play the second test on Sunday at Christchurch before playing the remaining two games in Adelaide and Sydney later this month.